Orthopedic shoe



June 10, 1952 J. BARRONS 2,599,970

ORTHOPEDIC SHOE Filed Aug. 28, 1950 2 swans-swam 1 June 10, 1952 J. BARRONS 2,599,970

ORTHOPEDIC SHOE Filed Aug. 28, 1950 2 mars-swam 2 Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATE QRTH-OPEDIG 10 Ba ren y h, Sc land Application August 28, 1950, Serial No. 181,867

' In Great Britain September 22, 1949 2 'e a s- (c1. 3673-) This invention has reference to boots and shoes and particularly tosuch footwear having platform soles.

In the case of ladies shoes of this type as heretofore constructed there is a lack of flexibility in the soles and further the waist of the sole is very liable to break away from the rear endof the platform sole or from the heel to which it is attached.

In the case of surgical boots with platform soles the lack of flexibility in the sole cramps the, movement of the foot and this in turn results in the foot becoming permanently stiff. Further such boots have been provided with a longitudinally curved sole which gives to the wearer. anv unnatural walk.

The present invention has therefore for. its object to provide improvements in platform boots or shoes which will be more flexible than those heretofore made.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in ladies platform shoes whereby there will be no danger of the waist breaking away from the rear end of the platform or from the heel.

A still further object of the invention is toprovide a surgical boot which willenable the wearer to walk more naturally than can be done with surgical boots of known construction.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the annexed drawings and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a ladies platform shoe in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, corresponding to Figure 1, but showing the shoe flexed as will occur when the shoe is being worn,

Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an elevation'of asurgical'shoe in accordance with the invention,

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view thereof and,

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 but showing the shoe flexed as will occur when the shoe is being worn.

In the ladies platform shoe shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the platform sole comprises a main portion a and articulated thereto a part b of triangular cross section.

The main portion comprises a leather sole 0. to which is secured a deep leather platform cover a and to which is secured the insole d carrying upper i of the shoe. Thesole a and platform cover a form a housing in which is inserted a suitably shaped block of cork or like material a of substantial thickness. The rear face of this housing is formed of a liner of leather a which is folded back on itself, the fold a forming the line of articulation. The under face of the cork block has secured thereto a leather sole a over which the lower edge of the platform cover and the lower edge of the liner are drawn, the outer sole a being secured to the sole a The part b of triangular cross section comprises a sole b which forms acontinuation of the sole a and to which the upper is secured, the waist c which supports the arch of the foot and sides I) which together forma housing in which is inserted a suitably shaped block of cork or like material 12 of triangular cross section. The other folded over part of the liner c closes this housing containing the cork block 735. p

The opposed faces of the main portion a and the part of triangular cross section b which together form the platform sole slope downwardly and rearwardly, the line of articulation formed by the fold a. extending transversely just below the insole d and to the rear of that part which supports the balls of the toes.

A liner of leather e'or the like is secured below the insole at and to said liner is sewn the liner a along the line of articulation.

' The soles a and b and also the insole d in proximity to the line of articulation are of shallow concave formation in transverse cross section and the foldbf the liner a where it forms the line of articulation is straight, the two ends of the fold being substantially flush with the soles a and b and projectingabove said soles at the centre as shown in Figure 3.

Between theinsole d and the liner 6 is a layer 'of packing material (1 a gap being provided in the; latter to accommodate the upwardly projecting fold." Said packing serves to prevent the insole dpressing hard on the fold where it-projects upwards above the soles a and b 'A' reinforcing strip d? of canvas or the like is secured to the underside of the insole at just above the fold.

By such construction there is substantial flexibility of the platform sole without imparting any undue stress thereon. Further the inclination of the opposed faces of the sections forming the platform sole and the aforesaid liner a extending between the said faces prevent the passage of water upwardly to the insole.

In the surgical boot made in accordance with the invention as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 platform sole which is introduced between the insole h to which the upper i is attached, and the outer sole 7' with heel k is made in two sections Z and m, the rear section m supporting the heel and arch of the foot while the forward section 1 forms a support for the balls of the toes and the toes.

The forward section I is formed of a sole 1 to which is secured a deep leather platform cover I and to which the insole h carrying the upper i is attached. This sole 1 and platform cover 1 forms a housing in which is inserted a cork block Z of substantial thickness, said block having a sole 1* of leather. The rear face of this housing is formed of a liner of leather 0 whch is folded back-on itself, the fold forming the line of articulation. The lower edge of the platform cover and the lower edge of the liner 0 are drawn over z the sole 1 of the cork block and the outer sole a secured thereto.

The rear section m is likewise formed of a sole m to which is secured a deep leather platform cover m and to which the upper is attached, this sole and surround likewise forming a housing in which is inserted a block of cork m of appropriate shape and of substantial thickness. The underface of this block has secured thereto a sole m*. This housing is completed by the liner 0 the lower edg of which and also the lower edge of the platform cover 111. are drawn over the sole m'*, the other part of the outer sole 9' which carries the heel 7c being then secured to the sole m.

The abutting faces of the platform sections slope downwardly and rearwardly from the insole h to the outer sole j, the joint formed by the two sections of the latter registering with that of the platform sections. The liner 0 is sewn along the line of articulation by a line of stitching p to a liner of leather or the like q secured to the upper faces of the platform sections.

Said upper faces in proximity to the line of articulation are of shallow concave formation in transverse section and the fold of the liner 0 Where it is turned back on itself, is straight, the two ends of the fold being substantially flush with the said upper faces at the sidesthereof and projecting above the faces at the centre as shown in Figure 6. Between the insole h and the liner q is a layer of packing material 1", a gap being provided in the latter to accommodate the upwardly projecting fold. Such packing serves to prevent the insole pressing hard on the fold where it projects upwardly above the upper face of the platform sections.

A reinforcing strip of canvas or the like s is secured to the underside of the insole just above the said fold.

When such surgical shoe is being worn the articulated sections of the platform sole permit of a flexibility approaching that of a normal boot and which is absent in surgical boots as heretofore constructed.

As in the case of the ladies platform shoe the inclination of the opposed faces of the sections forming the platform sole and the like covering said faces prevent the ingress of water to the shoe.

I claim:

1. A ladies platform shoe comprising an upper, an insole to which the upper is secured, a liner extending below the insole, front and rear platform sections secured to the insole, the front section comprising a sole positioned below the insole, a platform cover secured to said sole and insole, a further sole forming with the platform cover a housing, an outer sole secured to the housing and a block of light slightly resilient material inserted in the housing, and the rear platform section comprising a housing formed by a sole extending below the liner, a waist to support the arch of the foot, side platform covers and a block of light slightly resilient material inserted in the housing, the two platform sections being articulated to each other by a strip of flexible material folded on itself to form the opposed faces of the two housings, the fold forming the line of articulation of the two platform sections with respect to each other and being sewn to the liner positioned below the insole.

2. A surgical shoe comprising an upper, an insole to which the upper is secured, a liner extending below the insole, a front platform section and a rear platform section carrying the heel, the front platform section comprising a sole secured to the insole, a platform cover, a sole to which said cover is secured, a block of light material introduced to the housing so formed and an outer sole secured thereon and the rear platform section comprising a sole secured to the insole, a platform cover secured to this sole, a further sole secured to the said cover, an outer sole secured thereon and a block of light material introduced to the housing so formed, the opposed faces of the two sections being secured to a strip of flexible material extending over said faces and folded on itself, the fold being secured to said liner and forming the line of the articulation of the two sections with respect to each other.

JOHN BARRONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,528,265 Roa Mar. 3, 1925 2,301,702 Hite et al Nov. 10, 1942 2,505,773 Howe May 2, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 34,098 Austria May 25, 1907 488,390 France June 25, 1918 794,617 France Feb. 21, 1936 

